I'm going to withdraw from the contest. In a month or two I'm going to move house, for personal and happy reasons. But it probably means my Starcraft days are well and truly over. It's time to start wearing my big boy pants and grow the fuck up. Messing around in some nerdy map editor and doing alien voices is perhaps not the way to keep my better half around.

I'll continue working on this project of mine till I can't anymore, and will release what I have, outside of this contest.

Yes, I know- it's another one of my deformed stillborn brainchildren. I may never have been good at this in the first place.

As always, it was fun while it lasted. Here's to the road to manhood and death of fantasy!

I don't see why people believe making maps is a burden on life. My dad's 50, and plays on a PS3 almost daily after working 12 hour days, nearly six times a week, alongside working from home, and still has time to do the daily chores and maintain a healthy life.

Aww, that's sad to hear man. Nevertheless, I hope you fare well in your endeavors and stride well on that road to manhood. However, don't think your works with StarCraft went to waste- they were a mark of inspiration for people such as myself, so I reckon you can be proud of that at least.

If one has lost interest in making maps that's ok in my book. No point in doing something you no longer enjoy. What I don't like is the idea that it's something you should be embarassed about. It's "nerdy", as Legion said. Worse than that, to think making maps is incompatible with being an adult. As if it's something that holds you back in all aspects of life. Really, it's just a damn game. Something you spend a few hours per week on, if even that. I find it has no effect on other stuff I do. So in my case it doesn't make me embarassed. Sure, I'm not going to talk to much people about it IRL, but there's no reason to drop it, either. Especially when I enjoy it this much.

Legion wrote: Messing around in some nerdy map editor and doing alien voices is perhaps not the way to keep my better half around.

Keeping in mind most people who do this make considerably more bank than "grown men" make scraping things from the bottom of mcdonalds counters, I personally find the term "nerdy" derogatory. Don't stop because you think it's "beneath" you, stop because real life calls for it.

I'll continue working on this project of mine till I can't anymore, and will release what I have, outside of this contest.

That's more like it.

Yes, I know- it's another one of my deformed stillborn brainchildren. I may never have been good at this in the first place.

Take heart - nothing I've made ever evolved to the point of being able to be classified as "stillborn" to begin with.

As always, it was fun while it lasted. Here's to the road to manhood and death of fantasy!

HelpMe wrote:If one has lost interest in making maps that's ok in my book. No point in doing something you no longer enjoy. What I don't like is the idea that it's something you should be embarassed about. It's "nerdy", as Legion said. Worse than that, to think making maps is incompatible with being an adult. As if it's something that holds you back in all aspects of life. Really, it's just a damn game. Something you spend a few hours per week on, if even that. I find it has no effect on other stuff I do. So in my case it doesn't make me embarassed. Sure, I'm not going to talk to much people about it IRL, but there's no reason to drop it, either. Especially when I enjoy it this much.

Oracle's been engaged and now married and still producing maps. It's all a subject of moderation. Like playing an MMO in a relationship, you can't make the MMO a focus in life anymore.

As much of a shame as this is, I can't help but caress my teenage beard in a haughty manner. In light of your repeated cancellations in the past year or so, I honestly don't feel all that surprised - although, I would have preferred it, had you stayed.

Of course, this is your life we're talking about, and if you feel like to 'grow the fuck up' is equatable to leaving behind a personal project of yours for something more monotonous and - let's face it - mundane, it is indeed your decision. I hope you refrain from referring to it as a 'nerdy' subject, though, since we're all [allegedly] adults here and name-calling is hardly an impression you'd want to leave.

Some of you got me very wrong. I merely said "nerdy" because it would look that way to those not of our kin. I've been doing this for fifteen years, off and on, I've had some great times here. I am not name-calling or being derogatory. If it's nerdy, then we're all nerdy. If it's genius, we're all geniuses. If it's something else, we're something else. I'm not trying to sound like I want to be different from you, Mesk. Because I don't.

This has been my favorite pastime these past fifteen years. Part of me wanted it to go on forever. HOWEVER, it's something I've never spoken to anyone about, not because it's embarrassing but because it IS quite difficult to explain. You can get away with playing video games every once in a while, it's even hip doing it on your iPhone, but stating that you've been building maps, writing storylines and doing creepy voices for the same game for over a decade will certainly raise some eyebrows.

But it's too much ado about nothing, now. I'm leaving the band but I wasn't lead guitar. I was the hot, big-breasted back up singer.

When asked what I do, I say "I voice act and write, mostly for game design projects". Because, really, that's what I do. That's all I really need to say; doesn't come off as nerdy or weird, at least not to the few tonys I've talked to so far.

I guess presentation matters more than subject material in such a matter.

You know, a while back I'd actually consider social pressure and the need for validation from others as a legit reason for dropping stuff I liked. I mean, we all want acceptance, right? Right. Among other things, I decided to get a Law degree and pursue a career in that field. Law, I thought, was a really classical and respected area; something bound to make me a dignified -- even admired -- member of society, and I wouldn't be ashamed of saying what I did for a living. Until people started telling me, "Law? omg that must suck". So much for acceptance and respect.

But they're right, really; like Pronogo said, it's mundane. Being a lawyer is extremely mundane actually, as you're just dealing with people's (often petty) problems all the time. So I can't say I'm looking forward to it.

However, if I can make a living AND keep some side-interests like SC, I'll do it no matter how many eyebrows that might raise. Sure I will tow the line (we all have to) but I won't be a slave.

Legion wrote:This has been my favorite pastime these past fifteen years. Part of me wanted it to go on forever. HOWEVER, it's something I've never spoken to anyone about, not because it's embarrassing but because it IS quite difficult to explain. You can get away with playing video games every once in a while, it's even hip doing it on your iPhone, but stating that you've been building maps, writing storylines and doing creepy voices for the same game for over a decade will certainly raise some eyebrows.

Legion> I know exactly where you're coming from. Relating my love for StarCraft modding & mapping often makes for awkward social situations, mainly because most people aren't accustomed to this rare form of artistry that you and I found to be so enjoyable. Finding someone who still plays StarCraft: BW is uncommon in itself, and finding someone who made/makes maps or mods for the game is rare, but trying to find someone who made/makes both maps and mods (ie. modded campaigns) outside of websites akin to these is like digging through a tub of cow manure in the hopes that you'll find a microscopic diamond.